You do have to just weigh this cost versus what benefit you are getting out of having Citibank for other things. But I think in Paris, they don't have hardly any ATMs any more at all, those on the CHamps-Elysees are the only ones (I think).


My bank doesn't charge me anything for foreign ATM use, but I wouldn't change as i like them if it were only the 1 pct. I def. wouldn't like the 3 pct deal. I don't really think it's worth opening separate bank accounts just for travel for that purpose, though, and a lot of banks will charge you monthly maintenance fees if you have some small account just sitting there you don't use or don't deposit to. My bank has minimum balance requirements before fees and I just wouldn't want to deal with the paperwork and having a bunch of different accounts myself.

I'd probably change banks if I were you but I don't know what the advantages of Citibank are that drew you to them in the first place.

The 1 percent fee is pretty standard, I think. In any event, thanks so much for this tip. I have Citibank and will now try my other card (HSBC) in other countries where I'd have to go out of network anyway.